whitacre



PATENTED DEC 101867 'uiten fates gamut @Hirn A. H WHITACRE AND T. S. WHITACRE, OF' MORROW, OHIO.

Leners Pac-nim.72,140,aad1 eem'ber 10,1867.

IMPROVEMENT IN DITGHING-MAGHINES.

TQ ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that we, A. H. WIIITACRE and T. S. WHITACRE, of Morrow, in the county of Warren, and State of Ohio, have invented a new and improved Ditching-Machinc; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation through the line :c x, iig. 2, of an improved ditchingmachine.

Figure 2 is a top view of themachine. t

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

This invention relates to a new and useful improvement in the construction of a machin-e for cutting ditches suitable for laying tile for drainage of land, or pipe of any kind; and consists in a sled which supports afi-ame carrying the machinery in such manner that the frame can be raised and lowered, to cut the ditch to any required depth, The sled is drawn forward by a ropeattached toA a stake planted ahead ofthe machine, which rope winds up on a drum turned by a horse, which travels around the machine, with a sweep that operates at the same time a set ot` descending and ascending scoops, to cut the ditch, the dirt raised by the scoops being discharged therefrom by a set of plungers, which push it out at the right moment as the' scoops come up full of earth.l The scoops finish the ditch to the bottom at one operation in passing over the ground. 4

A represents a sled or pair of runners, that straddle the ditch as it is .cut, and B a frame above it. On the four corners are pinions a a, connected at the front andrear ends of the machine bytshafts b, to move -then'i simultaneously for raising and lowering upon strong vertical racks c c at each corner. Each shaft, b,is provided with a ratchet-wheel and dog, d, to hold the frame at any height desired to regulate the depth for cutting lthe ditch. A drum, C, is hung across' the frame, which winds a rope, shown iu rcd,that is fastened to a stake in the ground ahead of the machine, to draw it along. Above the drum C a shaft, c, is hungtrausversely, on` one end of which, at the side of the machine, is placed a pulley, D, to carry an endless chain, g,with scoops or buckets h h, attached and passing down around a, pulley, E, hung 1n an adjustable -side frame, 7c, which allows the endless chain to be regulated and tightened. On the opposite side ofthe frame Ais placed avcrtical shaft,`

m, turned by'a sweep, 1", to which one or more horses will be attached, and this shaft is geared to the shaft of the' drum C and the pull'ey-shaft E, to operate the machine. The scoops L h descend andcnt the earth in ascending, rising through a guide-box, G, and, as they come abovea discharge-apron, H, at the top of the machine and pass over Vthe pulley D, the earth is pushed out of the scoops by plunger-s 'n u, that move back and forth at right angles to the machines line oil motion. The plungers n u are set in the periphery of a wheel,.K, on the pulley-shaft c, and are operated bya stationary double-incline, p, that encircles the wheel K and pushes them in and out of the scoops successively as the wheel turns around. The earth is discharged by the apronH outside of the line of the ditch. A pair of cutters, shown in red, is placed in front of the endless chain and scoops to cut-the sod the width of the ditch. y

lHaving thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is '1. The combination of the sled A and the frame'B, connected by the racks and pinions c, a, at the corners, arranged and operating substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. The pulleys D and E, carrying the endless chain g with the scoops h h, in combination with the drum C,

the plungers n a operating by the double-incline p around the wheel K andthe sweep F, constructed and operating substantially as and for the purpose herein described.

A. H. WHITACRE,

T. S. `llTHI'lACRE.

Witnesses: l

SAMUEL SMITH, WM. G. HOPKINS. 

